Reducing means choosing to use things with care to reduce the amount of waste generated.

Reusing is the act of taking old items that you might consider throwing away and finding a new use for them. Get the most mileage out of the materials you encounter.

Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects.

Recovery is the process of recovering materials or energy from solid waste for reuse.

Repairing items is another way to reduce the consumption of materials and natural resources. By placing value in the item you have and repairing when needed, you are sustaining the products you own and reducing waste.

The goal of sustainable waste management is to reduce the amount of natural resources consumed, confirm that any materials that are taken from nature are reused as many times as possible and that the waste created is kept to a minimum.